Westgate and Birchington Inner Wheel
Throughout July 2024 to June 2025, Westgate & Birchington Inner Wheel have been fund-raising to provide ‘Catastrophic Bleed Control Kits’ for our area. Together with grants and donations from Westgate Town Council, Birchington Parish Council, Westgate & Birchington Rotary, Prentiss Greengrocers of Westgate and Shepherd Neame, £5,300 has been raised.
We have now taken delivery of these kits and hope to be able to have them installed or donated as soon as possible. Lockable cabinets for public use, will be placed in both Westgate Station Road and Birchington Station Road, at all 3 beaches, and another lockable cabinet to be placed in Westgate and 1 at Dog Acre. There will also be smaller kits located in the Village Centre, All Saints Church, Birchington and St Saviour’s Church, Westgate, The Ursuline School, King Ethelbert’s School, Birchington Primary, St Crispin’s and St Saviour’s Schools and the Lewellyn School.
On Monday we were able to see an example of the different types of kits when we gathered at St Thomas Church for our Christmas Coffee Morning at the St Thomas Christmas Tree Festival. One picture shows the kits with some of our members, and the other pictures show the ‘Orange the World’ Christmas Tree, with Val Marcantonio, who designed and made the orange decorations, and Immediate Past Presidents, Hazel Hedges and Kath Porteous, who chose the Bleed Kits as their charity, and Margaret Hawkins, the current President of the club.
‘Orange the World’ is a UN initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls across the world. Inner Wheel is a global women’s organisation and proudly supports the campaign.
The International campaign takes place each year starting on November 25th, ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women’ and ends on December 10th, ‘Human Rights Day’. Our members tried to wear a touch of orange to raise awareness of this campaign.
Thanet Female Founders and East Kent Sands
More than 40 local businesswomen came together recently for a special Loose Women–themed networking evening hosted by Thanet Female Founders at Invicta Lodge, Broadstairs raising £1,000 for the baby-loss support charity East Kent Sands.
The event combined lively discussion, community spirit, and fundraising. It was supported by 107.8 Academy FM Thanet, with Station Manager Debbie Day and Presenter Bernie Morgan attending.
The panel discussions, covering business, wellbeing, and women’s lived experiences, were hosted by Debra Owen-Hughes, who guided the conversation with professionalism and energy throughout the evening.
Ticket sales and an on-the-night raffle raised £500, which was then generously match-funded by Churchill Living, doubling the final total to £1,000.
Debra Owen-Hughes (who also serves as Chair of Thanet District Council), Lorraine from Invicta Lodge, and Karen Brinkman, Founder of Thanet Female Founders, formally presented the donation to Jen Watson, Funeral Celebrant (JW Celebrancy), on behalf of East Kent Sands.
The funds will support the charity’s work with families across East Kent, including the upcoming Winter Lights Christmas Memorial Service, a poignant annual event offering comfort, reflection, and remembrance for bereaved families.
Winter Lights
Sunday 21st December
Birchington Baptist Church, Original Crescent Road building
Doors open 1:30pm, Service begins at 2pm
After the service, refreshments will be available, and BBC The Loft will open its space for siblings to enjoy hot chocolate, games, and companionship.
Speaking after the donation, Karen Brinkman said: “This event showed the true power of women supporting women. When local founders come together to connect, collaborate, and champion one another, incredible things happen—not just for our businesses, but for the wider community. We’re excited to keep building that energy, and we already have big plans for International Women’s Day 2026.”
Thanet Female Founders will be holding their final meet-up of the year on Tuesday, 16th December, hosted by Guildcrest Estates at The Coffee Club. The group describes the session as a chance to connect, reflect, and round off the year in the company of fellow local founders.
Karen added her thanks to everyone who attended the fundraiser: “Every woman in that room helped make a difference.”
Royal Temple Yacht Club
The Royal Temple Yacht Club are delighted to announce that following his recent nomination and presentation of an RYA Impact Award, we have since received notification that Chris Cox has been awarded a National RYA Individual Award in the Guiding Light category.
This Award has been given for his role in coordinating Ramsgate’s part in commemorating the 85th Return to Dunkirk by the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (official) which took place in May of 2025.
On behalf of the RYA, Cat Ferguson, RYA Club & Volunteer Support Officer, wrote “ I am delighted to inform you—on behalf of Sara Sutcliffe MBE, RYA CEO—that the RYA is recognising your outstanding voluntary contribution to our sport by presenting you with a National RYA Individual Award 2026 in the Guiding Light category.”
Chris will be presented with his award at the RYA Awards Presentation and Afternoon Tea Reception, which takes place on Saturday 21 February 2026, at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, in Farnborough.
Chris said, “It was a tremendous privilege to be a part of the 85th Dunkirk Return, in particular to be involved with the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. I was part of a larger team who worked together to celebrate Ramsgate’s part in the evacuation and am proud to accept this National award on everyone’s behalf.”
Vet bill fundraiser for Evie
A Birchington woman is appealing for help to raise around £3,500 to save her dog’s life.
Sharon Carmichael is faced with the vet bill for dog Evie who has been diagnosed with mammary cancer.
Sharon said: “The vet said she has one year survival if we can’t (raise money for surgery).
“Evie is really well in herself but I really need as much help as possible.
“I have had Evie since 2017. I had lost my two dogs in the space of four weeks.
“Evie really did save me during that time I’ve called absolutely everyone – Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, Lord Whiskey, PDSA< RSPCA – and I am selling sentimental things from my mum who passed away and my engagement ring.
“ Unfortunately I am nowhere near close to saving her.The total funding is £3.5k because Evie had x-rays, bloods and fna lymph.
“The mammary cancer was caught very early and there is no spread currently but time really isn’t on our side as we risk spread the longer surgery is left.
“I can’t do anymore as a person other than what I have already done. With help she would go on to live many more years.
“She is my absolute world.”
Sharon has set up a GoFundMe appeal at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/txb2uy-cancer
Birchington Health & Wellbeing Group
Tax, Care and Toy Boys
What subjects can we speak about?
Protecting your family’s nest egg
Inheritance tax
Prevent ‘sideways disinheritance’.
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Vulnerable Persons Trust
Our speaker will introduce the above issues and explain what steps can be taken to plan for the future.
Birchington Health & Wellbeing Group, The Veterans Association, 2 Surrey Gardens, Birchington
To book a place please call: 0800 3 101033
22nd of January @ 10:30am
Mayor of Margate
Get ready to banish the winter blues and feel the Caribbean sun and soulful warmth right here in Margate!
BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW – and treat yourself (or someone tricky to buy for!) to a joyful night out.
We’re thrilled to launch: The Mayor of Margate’s Reggae & Soul Night – a vibrant evening of delicious food, dancing, community spirit, and pure good vibes.
You’re all invited, and the Mayor would love to see you there as we bring a burst of colour, music and fun to the colder months.
Date: 13 February 2026
Time: From 6pm, seated for food by 7pm
Venue: Olby’s Creative Hub, Margate
Tickets: £45pp
Hosted at the iconic Olby’s, home of the Margate Soul Weekender, the night includes a 3-course Jamaican meal, exceptional reggae, lovers rock, and soul music from a resident MSW DJ, and a prize raffle featuring generous contributions from local businesses.
All proceeds will directly support community projects and causes across Margate.
Payment Options
• Online (includes booking fee): www.ticketsource.co.uk/margate-charter-trustees
• BACS (no booking fee):
Margate Charter Trustees
Sort Code: 40-32-02
Account: 71192787
The Mayor would be delighted to welcome you for what promises to be a memorable night of food, music, and community spirit.
See Me Play
See Me Play, a community project providing inclusive, sensory-rich play for neurodivergent and disabled children and young people in Thanet, is hosting a Winter FUNdraiser on 20th December (1pm–3pm) at The Garden Gate Project.
Booking link: https://buytickets.at/seemeplay/1867293
Our Winter FUNdraiser helps sustain our sessions through the colder months, ensuring families continue to have access to safe, accessible, and creative play. Activities include sensory and messy play, art and music, festive piñatas, a raffle with prizes from local businesses, a cake sale, and a community meal cooked on the fire. Parents/carers attend free, and we offer sliding-scale tickets with free spaces for low-income families.
Every advance ticket also includes a free pair of Loop Earplugs (worth £30) to support children who are sensitive to noise.
Ramsgate FC Women
Ramsgate Football Club Women are launching a brand-new Development Team and we’re looking for players to be part of its foundation.
These open training sessions are an opportunity to help form the squad, develop in a high-standards environment, and progress within a clear pathway to first-team football.
Southwood Stadium
Open sessions through January
Register now Fill out the form and we will get back to you with dates on when to attend https://www.cognitoforms.com/RamsgateFCWomen1/RamsgateFCWomensDevelopment
Don’t Miss Margate
Don’t Miss, the modern hyperlocal media platform transforming how people experience small coastal towns, has been ranked #81 globally on Substack’s Culture leaderboard for its Don’t Miss Margate edition’s weekly newsletter — placing it firmly within the top 1% of culture publications worldwide – and the only one in the Top 100 that would count as local media.
Founded in Margate in 2023 by editorial director and author Georgina Wilson-Powell (ex founder of pebble), Don’t Miss operates in Margate and Ramsgate, with Broadstairs launching soon.
Its weekly “what’s on” newsletters have become essential cultural guides with 70% open rates, thousands of engaged subscribers, and a reputation for helping people feel connected, welcome and plugged into local culture.
“For a small-town newsletter to be recognised globally is extraordinary,” says founder
Georgina Wilson-Powell. “It shows that people everywhere want human, trusted, curated information not algorithmic noise. It validates our belief that small towns deserve world-class media.”
Don’t Miss combines digital media, editorial storytelling and community reinvestment. Each town‘s platform is made up of weekly newsletters, monthly podcasts, a social feed and online guides and micro-grants. The platform strengthens culture, supports independent businesses and reduces social isolation in coastal areas.
Follow on Instagram and don’t miss out – Don’t Miss Margate / Don’t Miss Ramsgate
